The document outlines strategies for effectively utilizing YouTube as part of a social media strategy for colleges and universities, highlighting its importance as the second largest search engine. It emphasizes the need for enhanced channel design, video optimization, and integration with other social media platforms to engage students and manage online reputation. Additionally, it provides statistics on video viewership and examples of how institutions can leverage YouTube for admissions and marketing purposes.

1. Get the most from your YouTube Channel

2. What we’ll cover Why YouTube is an important component of social media strategies. Who’s using YouTube YouTube Tips & Strategies Break the 10-minute barrier for movie playtime. Improve Channel page design for better usability. Maximize Video Search Engine Optimization What YouTube analytics tells you about your viewers. Building playlists and creating content. How to integrate YouTube, Facebook and Twitter

3. Increasingly important part of Social Media Strategy. Students research colleges on the Web YouTube is the second largest search engine (after Google) Increasingly, more and more are turning to YouTube Or, YouTube video comes up during a Google search. Your college or university is already on YouTube. Guaranteed.

4. Statistics gathered by CommScore in October 2008 reveal that: 80 %of 18-34 year olds watched online video, higher than any other age segment. The average 18-34 year old online video viewer watched 4.8 hours of video during the month. Google (including YouTube) is the site of choice. Google Sites attracted a record 100 million online video viewers in October 2008, or more than two out of every three Internet users who watched video during the month.

5. UMass Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research Social Media and College Admissions:The First Longitudinal Study

6. What’s happening in Massachusetts? We looked at 76 colleges. 58 have Facebook pages 43 have Twitter handles 49 have YouTube Channels; only 8 have “Enhanced Channels” Most do not use playlists. Most have uploaded less than 20 videos. Most do not feature interactive banners. Most do not integrate with Facebook & Twitter to promote videos. None are using contests/fund raising capabilities

7. How Colleges are using YouTube Tufts added an optional YouTube video to their admissions process and received more than 1000 videos. Babson ran a video contest on “How are you an Entrepreneur) and received more than 100 videos. Harvard and UC Berkeley offer lectures (the video version of iTunes University) Boston College has a “Boston College Minute” series.

8. Type Your College Name into YouTube What types of videos are in the top 10 search results for your College name or Key Words? Your college IS there. For many colleges your reputation is defined by random student videos. What about when you search on your key words? Do people find you? Or your competitors?

9. Don’t Lose Control of your Reputation. Manage your online video presence. Create an Enhanced Channel that optimizes your videos, controls your brand, attracts students and engages alumni. & YouTube receives more than 18 million unique visitors per month.

10. Standard vs. Enhanced Channels Not all YouTube Channels are the same Standard channels are available to “regular users” and have fewer features. Enhanced channels are available to educational institutions (YouTube.Edu) and through Google Content Providers (like CMTv). They offer more interactivity and branding possibilities. We invite you to become a partner and join our network of colleges at no charge .

11. Standard Channels

12. Enhanced Channels

13. Effective Channel Design Interactive Banners link viewers directly to your web site and creating seamless integration of your marketing messages. Banners can be mapped enable direct links to different pages

14. Effective Channel Design Link-back Banners link viewers directly to your web site and generally reflect the “look and feel” of your header.

15. Effective Channel Design “ Instant On” Video : When viewers open your Channel page, your featured video starts playing automatically , engaging your viewers immediately. Standard channels are static.

16. Effective Channel Design Extended Play Videos Enhanced Channels support unlimited play time and up to 20 Gb (three hours of video) . This allows you to broadcast lectures, classes and speeches. Most channels, standard and enhanced, are limited to 10-minute play times.

17. Effective Channel Design More Interactive Blocks for Content Enhanced Channels provide more “Side Boxes” and “Branding Boxes” to subscribe viewers with comments. Standard channels have no interactive blocks.

18. Effective Channel Design More Blocks for Content Create play lists sorted by categories or themes Descriptive text helps differentiate your offerings. Tons of video opportunities – events, student life, sports, classes, awards, clubs. We can help you develop content. Build playlists using videos already on YouTube .

19. Maximize visibility through Search Video Search Engine Optimization Your content will consistently appear in the top listings for your key search terms on Google and YouTube We have experience using key words and tags to achieve these results Our Google Partnership status gives videos placed by us preference in YouTube rankings . 1 YouTube receives 65,000 new video clips uploaded every day. 1

20. Learn about your viewers Extensive Analytics Demographic and search information to fine-tune your marketing strategies . These include: number of views, extensive demographics, and worldwide and USA locations. 58% of Internet videos are watched on YouTube

21. Integrating with Facebook, Twitter Integrating your social media tools reinforces messaging and creates a community. Place links to all social media on your Web site. Announce videos on Facebook and Twitter. Link to social media from YouTube

22. Get the Most from Your YouTube Channel Set up an Enhanced Channel (through YouTube.EDU or Google Content Partners like CMTv) Use available tools to tie it directly into your other tools (interactive banners, branding boxes, playlists, side boxes) Optimize your videos to improve search engine results Build your playlists with your own videos, importing other videos to supplement Use analytics to understand your audience and shape future initiatives.

23. Take Control of your Image on YouTube Now A natural extension of your marketing messages Leverage the value of your video by making it searchable. Turn your classes and lectures into an asset. Engage prospective students with the messages you want to convey. Make sure your videos are the top ranked for your differentiating factors. Boost applications.

24. CMTv Supports Colleges & Universities in your YouTube Development Contact us today to learn how we can put YouTube to work for you. Mal Tinkham 508-735-2420 [email_address] Liz Goldsmith 781.259.8584 [email_address] www.youtubebestpractices.com www.youtube.com/user/cmtvproductions http://www.youtube.com/educationnetworktv